Phonographs



NOV. 12, 1963 c, HANSEN 3,110,500

PHONOGRAPHS Filed May 16, 1960 s sham-sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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PHONOGRAPHS Filed May 16, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

HPNS cHmsrInN HHNsEN A TTORNE Y5 H. C. HANSEN Nov. 12, 1963 PHONOGRAPHS 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 16, 1960 ATTORNEYS Nov. 12, 1963 H. c. HANSEN 3,110,500

PHONOGRAPHS Filed May 16, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 704 i v mmvmn I Hmus cmaIsTmN HFINSEN 702 76 I Id/ag A TTORNE Y5 H. C. HANSEN Nov. 12, 1963 PHONOGRAPHS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed ma 16, 1960 r I flflll/lllI/Illf/A IIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR.

HFINS cHmsTmN HHNSEN BY doe ATTORNEYS Nov. 12, 1963 Fild May 16, 1960 H. C. HANSEN PHONOGRAPHS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

HFINS CHRIbTIHN HQNSEN ATTQRNEW Nov. 12, 1963 H. c. HANSEN 3,110,500

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PHONOGRAPHS Filed May 16, 1960 v V 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 mmvron HnNs nrlmsTmN HnNsEN A TTORNE K United States Patent 3,110,560 PHONGGRAPHS Hans Christian Hansen, 14 Christianscliolmsvej, Copenhagen, Denmark Filed May 16, 1960, Ser. No. 29,305 (Ilaims priority, application Great Britain May 19, 1959 26 Claims. ((Jl. 27410) The present invention relates to phonogr-aphs having a cycle control means and members movable during a part of the cycle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a phonograph having one or more parts movable under the control of a cam member in which the design of the parts is simple.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a phonograph having a tone arm including stylus means which comprises very simple means for raising and lowering the tone arm.

:It is still a further object of the invention to provide a record changing phonograph having a record supporting and releasing spindle and simple means for controlling the operation of the spindle.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a phonograph having parts movable in response to rotation of a cam member in which the design of such parts is simple and the assembly easy.

With these and other objects in mind which will appear from the following specification, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- FIGURE 1 is a general perspective view of a phonograph according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the phonograph shown in FIGURE 1 illustrating a few of the parts of the phonograph,

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view illustrating the structure of the tone arm spindle assembly for a phonograph according to the invention,

FIGURE 3a is a sectional view through a detail of the tone arm assembly illustrating a modification thereof,

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the phonograph according to the invention showing the essential parts thereof,

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section through a phonograph assembly comprising the parts shown in FIGURE 4 in operative relationship,

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 5 with the mechanism in the inoperative position thereof,

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the parts in the operative position thereof,

FIGURE 8 is an end View of the parts shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7,

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the tone arm lifting mechanism,

FIGURE 9a is a partial sectional view, similar to FIGURE 9, of a modified embodiment of the tone arm lifting mechanism,

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the cam disc and the cam follower means controlling the swinging of the tone arm,

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the cam disc, seen from the top illustrating the tracks in the bottom surface of the cam disc only in cooperation with certain parts of the control mechanism,

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a detail of the phonograph illustrating the reject control,

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the cam disc seen in FIGURE 10, and

FIGURE 14 is a perspective bottom view of the cam disc.

An important feature of the invention is the combination of a rotatable cam member generally designated by reference numeral 10 and of a knee-action linkage system such as, for example, illustrated in FIGURES 5-8 for controlling the operation of a record supporting and releasing spindle including a reciprocable linkage member 78 and a knee-action link member 76 pivotally supported on the reciprocable member '78.

An advantage by using a knee-action linkage system is that the parts can be designed very simple so as to be made by inexpensive stamping tools, the mounting thereof is easy and there are no critical adjustments of the part. A will be more fully decribed in the following, the reciprocable arm or lever 78 (FIGURE 4) is loosely supported at opposite ends and mounted for reciprocation by means of a track follower engaging with a groove provided in the underside of the cam disc 10. As will be appreciated from FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, which illustrate the operation causing a downward pull of an interior control rod 72 for the record supporting and releasing spindle, the tiltable linkage member 76, in the inoperative position thereof, as shown in FIGURE 6, is completely out of engagement with the control rod 72. When the lever 78 is reciprocated in the left hand direction, the end of the tiltable lever 76 will engage with an annular groove '80 in the lower end of the control rod 72, and as the lever 78 reoiprocates further, the tiltable lever 7 6 will swing counter-clockwise to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 and thereby by knee-action reciprocate the control rod 72 in the downward direction thereof.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate corresponding parts, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 11 designates therein a chassis plate or unit plate, reference numeral 15 a speed selector knob for selecting the desired speed of a turntable 44, reference numeral 66 a record supporting and releasing spindle in which the above mentioned control member 72 is mounted for reciprocation.

Reference numeral 12 designates the phonograph tone arm including a pick-up cartridge having stylus means and having on the top side thereof an abutment 13 to be more fully described hereinafter.

Reference numeral 17 designates in FIGURE 1 a start and ejector control knob and reference numeral 1% a post forming a support for the tone arm 12 in its exterior, inoperative position and including a reciprocable control rod 21 or the like operable to cause the opening of a switch, generally designated in FIGURE 2 by reference numeral 23, under the influence of the weight of the tone arm 12 when its is lowered onto the post 19.

In the embodiment shown herein, the record supporting and releasing spindle 66, the structure of which does not form part of the present invention, may be a spindle of the type disclosed in my UK. patent application 30,256/58 and the corresponding US. patent application Ser. No. 841,594 now Patent No. 3,073,603 the disclosures of which are hereby made part of the present disclosure insofar as necessary. It will be appreciated, however, that any other type of record supporting and releasing spindle easily selectable by those skilled in the art can be used within the scope of this invention.

Neither does the switch mechanism 23 (FIGURE 2) form part of the present invention. A suitable embodiment of such switch is disclosed in my UK. patent application 22,817/55 and in the corresponding US. patent application Ser( No. 602,589 the disclosure of which are hereby also made part of the present disclosure, insofar as necessary.

One advantage of the present invention is that it enables the design of a record change mechanism having relatively small dimensions and being of light weight.

in the specific embodiment illustrated, I am therefore utilizing the design of supporting structure for the parts of the phonograph as disclosed in my copending UK. patent application 15,389/ 59 also incorporated herein by reference insofar as necessary. As will be appreciated, however, the parts of the change cycle mechanism may, if desired, also be mounted in the traditional manner on the underside of a steel chassis plate.

in the present embodiment the chassis plate 11 is made of suitable synthetic resinous material, for example, by ejection moulding or suction process or in any other suitable manner and that the parts of the phonograph including the phonograph motor (not shown) are mounted on a spider-like supporting structure generally designated in FIGURE 2 by reference character A which includes a central portion B in which the bearing for the turntable 44 is arranged and a plurality of radially extending arms C, D and E secured in an aperture of the chassis 11 in which the turntable i4 is received. The phonograph motor is supported on the spider arm D and has a stepped spindle end 25 extending above the top surface of the arm I) for selectively driving the turntable at desired different speeds through a rotatable driving wheel 27. The spider structure including the extensions thereof, to be more fully described hereinafter may be of metal produced by die casting or injection moulding or in any other convenient manner.

A ball bearing 29 (FIGURE or the like for supporting the turntable is disposed in the central cavity B of the spider structure A which surrounds a hollow turntable spindle 37 which extends as a tubular member to the bottom 31 of the cavity B and which, as shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, has an extension 3% therebelow forming substantially half a cylinder for receiving and guiding the lower end of the control rod 72 for the record supporting and releasing spindle 66. The turntable is secured on a bushing 33 (FIGURE 5) having a projecting nose or abutment 35 for operating a trigger mechanism which controls the start of the cam disc 10, as well as a driving pinion =42 by means of which the cam disc ll is driven through an intermediate gear wheel 44a. The gear wheel 44a (FIGURES 4 and 5) is rotatably supported on an arm 41 which is swingingly supported at 4-3 on the underside of an extension 45 of the spider arm E. The arm 41 is spring-loaded by suitable means, not shown, in the direction of the cam disc it so that the disengagement of the gear wheel 44a from the pinion 42 in the inoperative position of the cam disc during the playing of a record is caused by the fact that the gear wheel 44a falls into a recess 43 (FIGURE 4) in the periphery of the cam disc 16.

The spider arm E is in the form of an elongated plate having a substantially plane top surface on which is provided a pair of upwardly extending ribs 51 and 53 between which is provided an upwardly extending pin 55 for supporting a pair of levers 57 and 5% forming a trigger mechanism operable to control start of the cam disc 1% after termination of the playing of a record by reciprocating the lever 59 against the action of a spring 61 (FIG. 2) by engagement with the nose or abutment 35 on the turntable bushing 33. The lever 57 is arranged to be engaged by a member of the tone arm assembly so as to cause the lever 57 to swing about the pin 55. The lever '59 is supported on the top side of the lever 57 by means of a pair of ribs 63 and 65 located nearer the pin 55 than the ribs 51 and 53. This trigger mechanism does not form part of the present invention and for further details reference is made to my U.K. Patent 801,176 and the corresponding US. patent application Ser. No. 491,- 422, the disclosure of which is hereby made part of the present disclosure. When the lever 59 is reciprocated its rear end engages an abutment 67 (FIG. 4) on the cam disc and thereby imparts a s-uflicient initial movement to the cam disc to cause the gear wheel 44a to Q. be brought into driving engagement between the pinion 42 and the cam disc.

The spider arm has an extension E at the end of which the tone arm spindle assembly is supported. This extension E forms a unitary structure with the spider arm E by means of a vertically extending portion E (FIG. 4).

The tone arm spindle assembly comprises, as shown in FEGURE 3, and the section FIGURE 5, a hollow tone arm spindle 26 which extends between a top plate 16 and a bottom plate 2%. in order to provide a rigid structure the plates 16' and 2d are connected by means of a pair of vertically extending ribs 18 and 18:: or the like. A pair of brackets 24a and 24b is provided on a sidewardly extending portion 16a of the top member 16 for tiltably supporting a plate 34 on the top of which the tone arm is secured, as shown in FIGURE 5. The plate 34 has a pair of downwardly extending brackets 32a and 32b and a pin 14 extending through holes in the pair of brackets 24a, 24b and 32a, 32b and thereby effectively provides the axis about which the tone arm 12 can tilt in order to be raised and lowered. The hollow tone arm spindle 26 is rotatably arranged on a hollow stationary spindle '71 secured in any suitable manner on a bridge 28 below the plate E The bridge 28 forms a unitary structure with the plate E and is supported therebelow by means of a pair of depending bars 28a and 2811 or the like. For raising and lowering the tone arm 12 a reciprocable control rod 3% extends through the hollow spindle structure described hereinabove and has at its top end which extends through a hole in the plate 34 an adjustable abutment 39a, for example, in the form of a small nut or bushing to be adjustably secured on the rod 3%} by means of a set screw or the like.

A track follower arm 22 having a track follower pin 38 for cooperation with tracks in the top surface of the cam disc lll extends from the lower end of the tone arm spindle assembly. The track follower pin 38 is capable of yielding in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the cam disc 16 against the action of a spring 4%) for enabling the track follower to climb a ramp forming a wall portion of a track in the surface of the cam disc It) so as to thereby cause the track follower to leave that track and pass over an exposed surface portion of the cam disc to be deposited in another track in the manner described in greater detail in my UK. Patent 805,964 and my US. patent applications Ser. Nos. 530,450 and now Patent No. 3,03 8,727 and 602,884 the disclosures of which are hereby made part of the present disclosure insofar as necessary.

Instead of making the track follower pin 38 reciprocable in a hole in the track follower arm 22, the track follower armitself, as shown in FIGURE 3a, can be mounted for tilting movement in a plane passing substantially through the axis of the hollow tone arm spindle. In FIGURE 3a the track follower arm 22 is mounted by means of a screw 73 between a pair of spring washers 75 and 77. The rear end of the track follower arm 22 is in the form of a washer or disc 79 and a leaf spring 81 engages the rear end of the track follower arm 22 remote from the track follower pin 38 to cause engagement thereof with the lower end of an adjustment screw 83 by means of which the position of the track follower arm 22 is regulated.

The cam disc 10 is rotatably mounted on a pin or shaft 56 (FIGURES 4 and 5) secured to the plate member E and depending therefrom. The pin 56 has a lower end 56a (FIGURE 5) of reduced diameter on the lower end of which is arranged a spring washer 56b.

Two knee-action linkage systems are supported below the cam disc till, one for controlling the operation of the control rod 72 for the record supporting and releasing spindle and thereby control the record drop to the turntable, and another for controlling the raising and lowering of the tone arm.

The linkage system which controls raising and lowering of the tone arm comprises a reciprocable lever 50 (FIG- URES 11 and 12) in the form of a substantially flat number which has a slot 54 at its left hand end and a slot 53 at its right hand end as viewed in FIGURE 11. The lever 50 is guided by means of the slot 54 on the lower portion 56a of the cam disc shaft and is guided by means of the slot 58 in a recess 65 (FIGURE 9) provided in a downwardly directed extension 87 of the stationary hollow shaft 71 below the bridge member 28. As will be appreciated, the lever 50 can reciprocate freely since it is supported loosely at both ends thereof. The reciprocation of the lever St} is caused by means of a cam follower pin 52 (FIGURES 11 and 12) which extends above the lever 5t) and engages in a groove provided in the underside of the cam disc to be more fully described hereinafter. The lever 55 has at each side a pair of downwardly depending flaps 82 and 34 for tiltably supporting a knee-link lever structure generally designated by reference numeral 62 which is operable to raise the tone arm by knee link action in response to reciprocation of the lever 59 in the right hand direction thereof as viewed in FIG- URES 11 and 12.

The lower end 87 (FIGURE 9) of the stationary spindle 71 has a sidewardly extending collar 87a and a hollow cylindrical member 89 is slidably mounted over the lower end thereof. The lower end of this cylindrical member 8 9 has an inwardly extending collar 8% above which a washer 9b is arranged in engagement with an abutment 91 on the lower end of the rod 30. A spring 92 is interposed between the washer 94] and the underside of the member 37.

The knee link member 62 is in operative engagement with the slidable member 89 so as to cause this member to move downwardly. The spring 92 provides a safety against clamping of the parts and furthermore enables the tone arm 12 to be raised biased against the underside of the lowest record in a stack supported on the centre spindle 66.

In a specific embodiment, the knee-action link member 62 is in the form of a pair of wires 62a and 62b bent into L-shape as most clearly shown in FIGURE 9 and being pivotally supported in holes in the fi-aps 82 and 84 as well as engaging in holes in the sleeve member 89.

The knee-action linkage system controlling the operation of the control rod 72 in the centre spindle comprises, as mentioned hereinbefore a reciprocable lever '78 and a tiltable knee-action link member 76 (FIGURES 5 to 7). The lever '73, similar to the lever 56, is loosely supported at each end thereof. At the right hand end the lever 78 has a slot 94 (FIGURE 4) by means of which the lever is guided on the narrow portion 56a of the cam disc shaft 56, and at the left hand end the lever has a slot 96 by means of which it is guided in a recess 98 (FIGURE 8) above a flange 1% or the like below the bottom 31 of the cavity B receiving the ball bearing 29. The lever 78 has depending side flanges 102 and 1494 in which the tiltable knee-action link member 76 is supported. The member 76 is also made of wire which is bent in the shape most clearly shown in FIGURE 8 and which is swingingly supported by means of its ends in holes provided in the side flanges 1G2 and 194. A spring 106 (FIGURE 8) is interposed between the horizontal portion of the wire member 76 and one of the flanges, i.e. the flange 104 for retaining the knee-link member 76 in its upper, inoperative position, as shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring now to FIGURES 10 and 13, the tracks provided in the top surface of the cam disc 10 controlling the horizontal movements or swinging of the ton arm 12 comprise the following portions: The cam disc 10 has a recess a in which the track follower pin 38 can swing freely during the playing of a record. A rear wall a of the playing recess :2 forms a cam surface operable to guide the track follower pin 38 inwardly and guide the track follower pin 38 to the entrance of an outwardly leading track b which extends in an exterior track c substantially following the periphery of the cam disc 10 and merging into the playing recess a. This track c is the stop control track as also disclosed in my UK. patent application 22,817/55 and my corresponding U.S. application Serial No. 602,589 referred to hereinabovc.

A ramp 17 is provided at the interior end of the track [2 behind this ramp b the cam disc 10 has an exposed surface portion from which a ramp e leads into a track generally designated by reference character 0 and comprising an outwardly leading portion e an inwardly leading portion 0 and a substantially concentric portion e The reciprocation of the lever 7 8 is controlled by means of a track follower pin 78a (FIGURES 4 and 14) engaging in an interior track provided in the bottom surface of the cam disc Iii, the track in which the pin 52 on the lever 50 engages being also located in the bottom surface of the cam disc 16 as an exterior track.

The bottom tracks, with reference to the FIGURES 11 and 14, are as follows:

The exterior track for pin 52 of lever 51 has an outwardly leading track portion g the exterior end of which communicates with a substantially concentric track portion it and the interior end of which communicates with a substantially concentric track portion h and m. Between the concentric track portions a concentric track portion k is disposed radially spaced from the centre of the cam disc It) somewhere inbetween the radical distance of tracks m and h from the centre of the cam disc 10. inwardly leading track portions 1' and l are provided between the ends of the track portion k and the tracks 11 and m, respectively. These tracks j and l are referred to as inwardly leading tracks, because when the cam disc It is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGURE 14, the tracks and I operate as inwardly leading tracks to reciprocate the lever 50 in the right hand direction for lowering the tone arm 12.

The interior track in which engages the pin 78a on the lever 78 has a substantially concentric portion p (FIGURE 11) nearer the centre of the cam disc 10 and an outwardly portion q.

The present embodiment of the record changing phonograph according to my invention is assumed to be designed as a record changing phonograph for 17 records only. It will be understood, however, that this part of the design depends on the tracks in the top surface of the cam disc It) only, i.e., the tracks controlling the horizontal movements of the tone arm, and that within the scope of my invention it is readily possible to modify these tracks and the track follower arm to include a friction link allowing the track follower arm to swing relatively to the remaining part of the tone arm assembly such as described in my applications UK. 22,817/55 and US. Ser. No. 602,589 to thereby provide a record changing phonograph capable of playing mixed records of any size.

If in the present embodiment, the tone arm 12 is to be landed in the correct start-of-play position with one size of records only, i.e. a 17" record, it will be understood that the inwardly leading track e and the concentric track portion e form a part of a landing track arrangement corresponding to that specific record size only.

Operation The mode of operation of the phonograph described hereinabove is substantially as follows:

The abutment member 13 which extends from the top side of the tone arm 12 is assumed to be a rubber knob which, when engaged with the underside of the record R supported on the centre spindle, will impose a frictional restraint against outward swinging of the tone arm 12.

When after playing of a record the cam disc 10 is started by the operation of the trigger mechanism or by start of the cam disc by means of the starter knob 17 (FIGURE 1) in a manner to be described hereinafter, the track follower pin 38 will be engaged by the wall portion a (FIGURE 10) of the playing recess a which causes the tone arm 12 to swing inwardly. Simultaneously therewith the passage of the pin 52 in the lever 55 in the outwardly leading track portion g (FIGURE ll) in the underside of the cam disc it will reciprocate the lever St) in the right hand direction as viewed in FIGURE 12, which will cause a tilting of the knee-action link lever 62 resulting in raising of the tone arm 12. The location of the various tracks provided in cam disc it} relatively to each other is so adapted that during the cycle of movements, the movements will be so timed that the tone arm 12 is raised to its highest position when the track follower pin 38 is adjacent the entrance to the outwardly leading track b. If no record is supported on the centre spindle the track follower pin 38 will pass outwardly through the track 1; into the exterior track which will result in swinging the tone arm outwards and lower it on the exterior post 19. The corresponding movement of the knee-action link system 50, 62 which results in the lowering of the tone arm 12 will be explained hereinafter in connection with the mode of operation causing landing the tone arm on a record to be played.

Now assuming that a record R is supported on the centre spindle, the friction member 13 will engage with the underside of the record and thereby cause a frictional restraint against outward swinging of the tone arm 12. This will cause a yielding action of the track follower pin 38, or in the case of the embodiment according to H6- URE 3a a tilting of the track follower arm 22 so that the track follower pin 38 climbs the ramp [7 passes thereupon over the exposed surface of the cam disc til,

escends along the ramp e and enters the track e e 2 The beginning of this tract e is in the form of a relatively broad recess. During the passage of the track follower pin 38 through that beginning of the track e the pin 52 passes through the track portion j which causes a lowering of the tone arm below the underside of the record R. As will be appreciated, the raising of the tone arm 12 into engagement with the underside of the record causes the spring 92, FIGURE 9, to bias the tone arm against the underside of the stack of records and thereby provides for a safe operation of the friction member 13.

When the tone arm has been lowered, the outwardly leading track portion e of the track e swings the tone arm in a slightly lowered position outside the periphery of the record. During this outward swinging the track follower pin 78a on the lever 78 has entered the outwardly leading portion of the track q, whereby the lever 73 is reciprocated in the left hand direction thereof as viewed in FIGURES 5 to 7, thereby causing engagement with the knee-action link member '76 in the recess St) at the lower end of the centre spindle control rod '72, whereby the knee-action link member 76 will tilt and cause the control rod '72 to be pulled downwards to release a record.

The following movements are so timed that the tone arm 12 is swung inwardly controlled by the inwardly leading track e and when the tone arm 12 has arrived in the position with its stylus vertically above the initial sound groove of the record, the track 1 causes the reciprocation of the lever 5% back to its inoperative position so as to lower the tone arm 12 with the stylus in engagement with the first groove on the surface of the record. The tone arm 12 remains lowered during the remaining part of the rotation of the cam disc it) and the track follower is guided in the concentric track portion 2 until it is released in the playing recess a. The length of the concentric track portion e corresponds substantially to a complete revolution of the turntable As will be understood, the phonograph also operates to shut off the motor automatically if it is used as a single player without the centre spindle '66. In such event the cam disc ltl will be started after termination of the playing of a record and the track follower 38 will move outwards through the track [2 and follows thereupon the stop track c.

in order to provide for start of the phonograph or rejection under manual control, the rejector knob 1'7 is arranged on a rotatable pin lid (FIGURE 12) having a sidewardly extending arm 3112 at the exterior end of which a wire member 114- or the like is swingingly arranged at 116. The wire member its is bent at its other end in the form of a hair pin and is loosely arranged between the top side of the reciprocable lever 78 and the underside of the lever fill which is provided with a downwardly extending flap ifltl. As will be readily understood, a turning of the start or rejection knob 17 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGURE 1 and of lever 112 will cause the hair pin end 113 of the wire member 114 to engage between the cam disc spindle seand the flap 1% of the arm Stl'. This will cause a slight reciprocation of the arm in in the right hand direction and such reciprocation under manual control has a double purpose. First the reciprocation is sufficient to cause a slight tilting of the knee link member as to raise the tone arm from the surface of the record, or alternatively if the tone arm is in its exterior position on the post 19* it will be suilicient to raise it from the post to cause the motor switch 23 to be closed. Secondly the reciprocation is sufficient to cause the track follower pin 52 which is located in the interior end of the outwardly leading track g in the underside of the cam disc to give the cam disc a similar initial push as if the cam disc 10 had been pushed by the trigger mechanism whereby the cam disc 1% will be started.

Though in the foregoing the invention and the manner in which it can be embodied in practice has been described in meat detail it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the s ecific embodiment shown and described.

Thus, for example, means for preventing outward swinging of the tone arm may be employed diiferent from friction means for imposing a frictional restraint again-st upward movement. As will be appreciated the spring 92 (FIGURE 9) is supported to be compressed when a record is supported on the centre spindle and prevents the tone arm from being raised to its highest position. The compression of this spring 92 is caused by an axial displacement of the washer 9t). Such axial displacement will not take place in the event that there is no record supported on the centre spindle. This axial displacement of the Washer 99 may also be utilized to prevent outward swinging of the tone arm '12, for example by securing the member 89 against rotation relatively to the member 87 but still enabling axial displacement therealong. A suitable guiding arrangement for the washer 9% may then be included in the structure, for example, in the form of a member moving outwardly with the washer 9d and engaging in a member of the tone arm assembly which swings so as to prevent this swinging in response to axial displacement of the washer 9%). An arrangement along these lines is indicated in FlGURE 9a. The washer 9G includes an extension l ii through a slot 89 provided in sleeve $9 and, on the exterior end of this extensiton, an outwardly extending 191 guided in a hole 28 in bridge 28 and engaging in a hole. 22' in the track follower arm 22 when the washer fill is displaced axially in the upward direct-ion thereof.

I claim:

1. In a record changing phonograph having a record supporting and releasing spindle comprising a control member mounted for reciprocation within said spindle, a tone arm assembly including a tone arm having stylus means and means; for raising said tone arm comprising a member reciprocable in a substantially vertical direction, in combination: a cam disc having first track means and second track means, means for rotating said cam disc to control a cycle of movements comprising raising and lowering of said tone arm and operating said record supporting and releasing spindle, first knee-action linkage means including a linkage member mounted for reciprocation and a linkage member tiltably supported on said reciprocable linkage-member, a surface portion of said control member for said spindle being so located as to be engaged by said tiltable linkage member of said first kneeaction linkage system, means for reciprocating the reciprocable member of said first knee-action linkage means by means of said first cam means of said cam disc in response to rotation thereof to cause said tiltable linkage member of said first linkage means to tilt and thereby reciprocate the control member of said spindle by kneeaction in response to its siltin second knee-action linkage means comprising a second linkage member mounted for reciprocation and a second linkage member tiltably supported on said reciprocable member mounted for tilting, means operatively connecting said tiltable linkage member of said second linkage means with said vertically reciprocable control member for raising said tone arm, and means for reciprocating the second reciprocable linkage member by means of said second cam means on said cam disc in response to rotation of said cam disc for reciprocating said control member for said tone arm to raise said tone arm by knee-link action in response to the tilting of said tiltable linkage member of said second linkage means as the reciprocable member thereof reciprocates.

2. In a record changing phonograph having a turntable, a record supporting and releasing spindle comprising a control member mounted for reciprocation within said spindle operable to control release of a record to said turntable, a tone arm assembly including a tone arm having stylus means and means for raising said tone arm comprising a member reciprocable in a substantially vertical direction, in combination: a cam disc having track means, means [for rotating said cam disc, means operable to control release of a record from said spindle in response to the rotation of said cam disc, knee-action linkage means comprising a linkage member mounted for reciprocation and a linkage-member tiltably supported on said reciprocable member mounted for tilting, means operatively connecting said titlable linkage member of said linkage means with said vertically reciprocable control member for raising said tone arm, means for reciprocating the reciprocable linkage member by means of said track means on said cam disc in response to rotation of said cam disc for reciprocating said control member for said tone arm to raise said tone arm by knee-link action in response to the tilting of said tiltable linkage member of said linkage means as the reciprocable member thereof reciprocates.

3. In a record changing phonograph having a record supporting and releasing spindle comprising a control member mounted for reciprocation within said spindle, a tone arm assembly including a tone arm having stylus means and means for raising said tone arm comprising a member reciprocable in a substantially vertical direction, in combination: a cam member having first cam means and second cam means, means for rotating said cam member to control a cycle of movements comprising raising and lowering of said tone arm and operating said record supporting and releasing spindle, first knee-action linkage means including a linkage member mounted for reciprocation and a linkage member tiltably supported on said reciprocable linkage member, a surface portion of said control member for said spindle being so located as to be engaged by said tiltable linkage member of said first knee-action linkage system, means for reciprocating the reciprocable member of said first knee-action linkage means by means of said first cam means of said cam disc in response to rotation thereof to cause said tiltable linkage member of said first linkage means to tilt and thereby reciprocate the control member of said spindle by kneeaction in response to its tilting, and means operatively connecting said second cam means with said vertically reciprocable control member for raising said tone arm.

4. In a record changing phonograph having a supporting structure, a turntable rotatably supported on said lltl supporting structure, a tone arm including stylus means, a centre spindle, means for supporting a stack of records with the lowest record in a predetermined plane above said turntable, said centre spindle including means operable to release the records sequentially to said turntable for being played in position supported thereon, in combination: a rotatable cam disc having first track means operable to control swinging of said tone arm, means operable to convert the control effect produced by said first cam means into swinging movement of said tone arm, said cam disc further having second track means operable to control raising of said tone arm, knee-action link means including a first member mounted for reciprocation and a second member mounted for tiltable movement operatively connected with said first member, means operatively connecting said second track means and said knee-action link means and operable to convert the control effect produced by said second track means into reciprocation of said reciprocable knee-action link means, means in said knee-action link means operable to convert the reciprocation of said first member into tilting of said second member and simultaneously therewith raise said tone arm by knee-action.

5. In a record changing phonograph having a supporting structure, a turntable rotatably supported on said supporting structure, a tone arm structure including a tone arm, a hollow tone arm spindle, means supporting said tone arm on said spindle for tilting movement to allow raising and lowering of said tone arm and an elongated control member extending through said hollow tone arm spindle and operable to control raising and lowering of said tone arm and centre spindle means for supporting a stack of records with the lowest record in a predetermined plane above said turntable, said centre spindle including means operable to release the records sequentially to said turntable for being played in position supported thereon, in combination: a rotatable cam disc having first track means operable to control swinging of said tone arm, means operable to convert the control effect produced by said first cam means into swinging movement of said tone arm, said cam disc further having second track means operable to control raising of said tone arm, knee-action link means including a member mounted for reciprocation and a member mounted for tiltable movement, means operable to actuate said elongated control member to raise said tone arm by knee-action in response to tilting of said tiltable member, means operable to convert the con trol effect produced by said second track means into reciprocation of said reciprocable knee-action link means, means operable to convert the reciprocation in said kneeaction link means into tilting and simultaneously therewith raise said tone arm by knee-action.

6. In a phonograph having a stationary supporting memher, a record supporting means including a turntable rotatably supported on said stationary member and center spindle means for supporting the records in spaced relationship with respect to said turntable, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said stationary member and including means enabling lowering and raising thereof, a control mechanism comprising rotatable control means, first actuating means including tiltable knee-action link means and reciprocable means operatively connecting said rotatable control means with said center spindle means for releasing the next record to be played which is supported thereon upon rotation of said rotatable control means, and second actuating means including knee-action link means and reciprocable means operatively connecting said rotatable control means with said tone arm means for selectively raising and lowering the same.

'7. In a phonograph having a relatively stationary part, record support means including a turntable rotatably supported on said relatively stationary part and center spindle means for supporting the records in spaced relationship with respect to said turntable, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said relatively stationary lll part and including means enabling lowering and raising thereof, a control mechanism comprising rotatable control means, first actuating means operatively connecting said rotatable control means with said center spindle means for releasing the next 1' cord to be played Which is supported thereon upon rotation of said rotatable control means, and second actuating means operatively connecting said rotatable control means with said tone arm means for selectively raising and lowering the same, each of said actuating means including knee-action link means and displaceable means operatively connecting said control means with a respective one of said knee-action link means to convert the control effect produced by said rotatable control means into actuating movement of said kneeaction link means.

8. in a phonograph having a relatively stationary part, record support means including a turntable rotatably supported on said relatively stationary part and center spindle means for supporting the records in spaced relationship with respect to said turntable, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said relatively stationary part and including means enabling lowering and raising thereof, a control mechanism comprising rotatable control means, a plurality of knee-action means, displaceable means operatively connecting said control means with a respective one of said knee-action link means to convert the control effect produced by said rotatable control means into actuating movement of said knee-action link means, and means for operating said knee-action link means in desired timed relationship to operate said tone arm raising means and said record releasing means.

9. in a phonograph having a relatively stationary part, record support means, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said relatively stationary part and including means enabling lowering and raising thereof, a control mechanism comprising rotatable cam means, and actuating means for selectively raising and lowering said tone arm including tiltable knee-action link means and reciprocable means, means supporting said reciprocable means for movement in a plane substantially parallel with said cam means, cam follower means operatively connecting said cam means with said reciprocable means, and means operable to convert the reciprocation of said reciprocable means into actuating movement of said tiltable kneeaction link means.

10. in a phonograph having a relatively stationary part, record support means, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said relatively stationary part and including means enabling lowering and raising thereof, a control mechanism compris ng rotatable control means, and actuating means operativcly connecting said rotatable control means with said tone arm means for selectively raising and lowering the same, said actuating means including knee-action link means and displaceable means operatively connecting said control means With said kneeaction link means to convert the control effect produced by said rotatable control means into actuating movement of said knee-action link means.

11. in a phonograph having a relatively stationary part, record support means, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said relatively stationary part and including means enabling lowering and raising thereof, a control mechanism comprising rotatable control means, means including knee-action link means and displaceable means operatively connecting said control means with said kneeaction link means to convert the control effect produced by said rotatable control means into movement or" said knee-action link means, and means including yicldable means to convert the movement of said knee-action link means into raising and lowering of said tone arm.

12. In a phonograph having a relatively stationary part, record support means including a turntable rotatably supported on said relatively stationary part and a center spindle means for supporting the records in spaced relationship with respect to said turntable, a control mechauism comprising rotatable control means, and actuating means operativcly connecting said rotatable control means with said center spindle means for releasing the next record to be played Which is supported thereon upon rotation of said rotatable control means, said actuating means including knee-action link means and displaceable means operatively connecting said control means with said knee-action link means to convert the control ellect produced by said rotatable control means into actuating movement of said knee-action link means.

' 13. in a phonograph having a relatively stationary part, record support means including a turntable rotatably supported on said relatively stationary part and a center spindle means for supporting the records in spaced 'elationship With respect to said turntable, a control mechanism comprising means for controlling sequential release of records from said center spindle including reciprocable means, rotatable control means, means including tiltable knee-action link means and reciprocable means operatively connecting said control means with said reciprocable control means for said spindle to convert the control effect produced by said rotatable control means into tilting movement of said tiltable knee-action link means to reciprocate said spindle control means by kneeaction to release a record from said spindle.

14. in a phontograph having a relatively stationary part, a record support means including a turntable rotatably supported on said relatively stationary part and a center spindle means for supporting the records in spaced relationship with respect to said turntable, a con trol mechanism comprising a rotatable cam disc having track means, actuating means including a lever mounted for reciprocation substantially parallel with the plane of said cam disc, tiltable knee-action link means mounted on said reciprocable lever, means operatively connecting said cam disc track means with said reciprocable lever.

15. In a phonographic apparatus having a turntable, a member having movable parts extending above a horizontal plane through the surface of said turntable and a control member on said movable parts mounted for reciprocation in a substantially vertical direction, and a cam disc mounted for rotation, a knee-action linkage system comprising a. linkage member mounted for reciprocation in a substantially horizontal plane and a pivotable linkage member supported on said reciprocable linkage member, means for reciprocating said vertically reciprocable control member by the knee-linkage action upon pivoting of said pivotable linkage member in response to reciprocation of said reciprocable linkage memher in one direction, and means for controlling the reciprocation of said member in response to rotation of said cam member.

16. In a phonographic apparatus having a turntable, a control mechanism comprising a control member mounted for reciprocation, a cam disc mounted for rotation, a knee-action linkage system including a linkage member mounted for reciprocation substantially in a first plane, a pivotable linkage member supported on said reciprocable linkage member, means including said knee-action linkage system for reciprocating said reciprocable control member while pivoting said pivotable linkage member in response to reciprocation of said reciprccable linkage member in one direction, and means for controlling the IfiCI 'ocation of said reciprocable linkage member in response to rotation of said cam member.

17. In a phonograph having a tone arm structure including a reciprocating member for controlling raising of the tone arm and including a rotatable control means including a cam member and means operable to swing said tone arm in response to the rotation of said control means, the combination comprising knee-action linkage means operatively connecting said cam member with said reciprocating member, including a first linkage member mounted for reciprocation under the control of said control member, and a linkage member being pivotally suparraeoo knee-action linkage means operatively connecting said cam member with said actuating member, including a first linkage member mounted for reciprocation under the control of said cam member and a linkage member pivotally supported on said reciprocable member.

20. In a phonograph having a control mechanism for controlling a reciprocating actuating member including rotatable control means, the combination comprising knee-action linkage means operatively connecting said control means with said actuating member, including a first linkage member mounted for reciprocation under the rotation of said control means and a linkage member pivotally supported on said reciprocable member.

21. In a record changing phonograph having a supporting structure, a turntable rotatably supported on said supporting structure, a tone arm structure including a tone arm, a hollow tone arm spindle, means supporting said tone arm on said spindle for tilting movement to allow raising and lowering of said tone arm and an elongated control member extending through said hollow tone arm spindle and operable to control raising and lowering of said tone arm, and center spindle means for supporting a stack of records with the lowest record in a predetermined plane above said turntable, said center spindle including means operable to release the records sequentially to said turntable for being played in position supported thereon, in combination: a rotatable cam disc having first means operable to control swinging of said tone arm and second means operable to control raising of said tone arm, knee-action link means including a first member mounted for reciprocation and a second member mounted for tiltable movement, means operatively connecting said second member with said elongated control member and operable to actuate said elongated control member to raise said tone arm by kneeaction in response to tilting of said tiltable member, means operatively disposed between said second means and said first member and operable to convert the control effect produced by said second means into reciprocation of said reciprocable knee-action link member, and means within said knee-action link means and operable to convert the reciprocation of said reciprocable member into tilting of said tiltable member and simultaneously therewith raise said tone arm by knee-action.

22. In a record changing phonograph having a supporting structure, a turntable rotatably supported on said supporting structure, a tone arm structure including a tone arm, a hollow tone arm spindle, means supporting said tone arm on said spindle for tilting movement to allow raising and lowering of said tone arm and an elongated control member extending through said hollow tone arm spindle and operable to control raising and lowering of said tone arm, and center spindle means for supporting a stack of records with the lowest record in a predetermined plane above said turntable, said center spindle including means operable to release the record sequentially to said turntable for being played in position supported thereon, in combination: a rotatable cam disc having first means operable to control swinging of said tone arm and second means operable to control raising of said tone arm, knee-action link means including a first member mounted for reciprocation and a second member mounted for tiltable movement, means operatively connecting said second member with said elongated control member and operable to actuate said elongated control member to raise said tone arm by knee-action in response to tilting of said tiltable member, means between said second means and said first member and operable to convert the control efiect produced by said second means into reciprocation of said reci rocable knee-action link means, means within said knee-action link means and operable to convert the reciprocation of said reciprocable means into tilting of said tiltable member and simultaneously therewith raise said tone arm by knee-action, and a yieldable connection included between said actuating means for said elongated control means and said tiltable knee-action means.

23. In a record changing phonograph having a supporting structure, a turntable rotatably supported on said supporting structure, a tone arm including stylus means, means to enable raising and lowering of said tone arm, and center spindle means for supporting a stack of records with the lowest record in a predetermined plane above said turntable, said center spindle including means operable to release the records sequentially to said turntable for being played in position supported thereon, in combination: a rotatable carn disc having first track means operable to control swinging of said tone arm, means operable to convert the control effect produced by said first cam means into swinging movement of said tone arn said cam disc further having second track means operable to control raising of said tone arm, knee-action link means including a member mounted for reciprocation and a member mounted for tiltable movement, means operatively connecting said second track means with said reciprocable link member and operable to convert the control eilect produced by said second track means into reciprocation of said reciprocable knee-action link member, means within said knee-action link means and operable to convert the reciprocation of said knee-action link member into tilting of said tiltable knee-action member and simultaneously therewith raise said tone arm by kneeaction to assume a raised position higher than the plane of the lowest record in a stack supported on said center spindle means so as to cause engagement between the top side of said tone arm and the underside of a record supported on said center spindle means, means operable to yield in response to such engagement so as to bias said tone arm against the underside of said record, and means included in said first track means operable to swing the tone arm through a desired cycle to land the tone arm stylus in start-of-play position on said record after it has been released to said turntable.

24. In a record changing phonograph having a supporting structure, a turntable rotatably supported on said supporting structure, a tone arm including stylus means,

means to enable raising and lowering of said tone arm, and center spindle means for supporting a stack of records with the lowest record in a predetermined plane above said turn-table, said center spindle including means operable to release the records sequentially to said turntable for being played in position supported thereon, in combination: a rotatable cam disc having first track means operable to control swinging of said tone arm including a first group of tracks operable to swing the tone arm to a stop position and a second group of tracks operable to swing the tone arm to a start-of-play position on at least one record size, means operable to convert the control eflect produced by said firs-t cam means into swinging movement of said tone arm, said cam disc further having second track means operable to control raising of said tone arm, knee-action link means including a member mounted for reciprocation and a member mounted for tiltable movement, means operable to convert the control eiiect produced by said second track means into reciprocation of said reciprocable knee-action link member, means openable to convert the reciprocation of said knee- 1" its action linl; member into tilting of aid tiltable knee-action member and simultaneously therewith raise said tone arm by knee-action to assume a raised position higher than the plane of the lowest record in a stack supported on said center spindle means so as to cause engagement between the top side of said tone and the underside of 2. record supported on said center spindle rncans, means ope"- sble to yi ld in response to such engagement so as to bias said tone arm against the underside of said record, and means operable to select the second group or" track means in response to such engagement.

25. in a phonograph having a relatively fixed part, turntable means rotatably supported on said relatively fixed part for supporting thereon a record to be played including center spindle means, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said relatively stationary part and adapts to be lowered and raised, a control mechanism comprising rotatable control means, an actuating member for effecting control movement of one of the controlled parts in said phonogr 2h, and knee-action link means operatively connecting said rotatable control means with said actuating member, said knee-action link means including reciprocating means operative to perform substantially reciprocatory movements and. tiltable means operative to perform substantially tilting movements, and means so interconnecting said reciprocating means and said tiltable means with each other that the movements peculiar to one of said two last-mentioned means are converted into the movements peculiar to the other of said two lastientioned means exclusively within said knee action linl; means.

a phonograph having a relatively fixed part, turntable means rctatably supported on said relatively fixed par-t nclo center spindle means for supporting a record to no played, and tone arm means swingingly supported on said relatively fixed part and adapted to be con rollably lowered and raised, a control iechanism for raising lowering said tone arm means comprising rotatahle control means, actuating means operatively connected with said tone arm means for selectively raising and lowering said tone arm means, and knee-action link cans eper; ively connecting said rotatable control means with sa d act-J ting means, said knee-action link means reciprocating means operative to carry out substantially reciprocating movements, tiltaole means adapted to car'y out tilting movements relative to said reciproeating means, and means so connecting said tilta'ole means to said reci, roosting means that a conversion of one of two types of movements into the other type of movement takes place exclusively Within said kneoaction linkmeans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

25. IN A PHONOGRAPH HAVING A RELATIVELY FIXED PART, TURNTABLE MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID RELATIVELY FIXED PART FOR SUPPORTING THEREON A RECORD TO BE PLAYED INCLUDING CENTER SPINDLE MEANS, AND TONE ARM MEANS SWINGINGLY SUPPORTED ON SAID RELATIVELY STATIONARY PART AND ADAPTED TO BE LOWERED AND RAISED, A CONTROL MECHANISM COMPRISING ROTATABLE CONTROL MEANS, AN ACTUATING MEMBER FOR EFFECTING CONTROL MOVEMENT OF ONE OF THE CONTROLLED PARTS IN SAID PHONOGRAPH, AND KNEE-ACTION LINK MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID ROTATABLE CONTROL MEANS WITH SAID ACTUATING MEMBER, SAID KNEE-ACTION LINK MEANS INCLUDING RECIPROCATING MEANS OPERATIVE TO PERFORM SUBSTANTIALLY RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENTS AND TILTABLE MEANS OPERATIVE TO PERFORM SUBSTANTIALLY TILTING MOVEMENTS, AND MEANS SO INTERCONNECTING SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS AND SAID TILTABLE MEANS WITH EACH OTHER THAT THE MOVEMENTS PECULIAR TO ONE OF SAID TWO LAST-MENTIONED MEANS ARE CONVERTED INTO THE MOVEMENTS PECULIAR TO THE OTHER OF SAID TWO LAST-MENTIONED MEANS EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN SAID KNEEACTION LINK MEANS. 